PLTP Lahendong project goes faster than scheduled ?

PT Pertamina Geothermal Energy (PGE), a subsidiary of state owned oil and gas firm PT Pertamina (Persero) said the development of the Unit 5 and 6 of PLTP Lahendong geothermal power plant in Minahasa regency, North Sulawesi province is now in progress and the execution is faster than scheduled.

?

?As of end-February, the progress of the projects had reached 54.63 percent, around two or three months ahead of schedule,? PGE?s President Director Irfan Zainuddin said in a statement on Wednesday.

?

There are already four units in operation at PLTP Lahendong, each with the capacity of 20 MW. The Unit 1-4 are owned by public utility PT Perusahaan Listrik Negara (PLN) while PGE, as the owner of the concession area, supplies geothermal steam for the four power units. Differently, the Unit 5 and 6 are owned by PGE. Each of Unit 5 and 6 has similar capacity with the other units, namely 20 MW.

?

Unit 1-4 account for 40 percent of power supplies in North Sulawesi, according to the statement.

?

The project is located Tompaso district, 24 km away from Minahasa regency?s capital of Tomohon.

?

Irfan said the project could be executed faster than scheduled thanks to supports from the central and local governments as well as local community from licensing phase, through land acquisition and tender phases. No work accident has been recorded throughout 2.3 million work hours than have so far been spent to develop the project.

?

Editing by Johannes Simbolon